Window guard



-o. VOGEL WINDOW GUARD 7 March 15, 1949,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil d May 20; 1947 a R ow a "9 WV N r E0 m VT T N T 7 1o A Q/L 0/0, M m f ,IJ

l atented Mar. 15, 1949 WINDOW GUARD Otto Vogel, Farmingdale, N. Y.

Application May 20, 1947, Serial No. 749,234

Claims.

This invention relates to a window guard mounted on a roller above a window opening and adapted to operate automatically so as to be lower'ed when it rains, to protect a window opening from the rain, and to be automatically raised when the rain stops.

My prior United States Patent No. 2,103,923, granted December 28, 1937, covered an apparatus adapted to serve this purpose and in that construction the weight of rain water, collected in a trough attached to the guard or awning, caused the latter to descend when the rain started, and a counterweight was provided to roll up the guard when the rain stopped.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism whereby the guard is caused to unroll and descend automatically by the operation of a permanent weight and whereby the raising of the guard, after the rain stops, is effected by the weight of rain water automatically supplied from a storage tank.

- A further object is to provide means whereby even a very slight rainfall is suificient to cause the mechanism to operate'and lower the guard, and, when the rain has entirely ceased, the weight of rain water supplied from the reserve tank is sufficient to raise the guard against the action of the lowering weight.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the guard is retained in its raised position by a cam or lug engaged by a pawl, against the action of the lowering weight, and to provide means whereby the pawl automatically releases the cam'when the rain starts.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front viewp artly in sectionshowing the actuating mechanism, Fig, 2 is a plan view thereof shown partly in section, Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing the parts of the mechanism in different positions, Fig. ,4 is a detail cross-section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a front view of a window with the improved guard applied thereto, Fig. 7 is a side view showing the guard inusetas an awning, and Fig. 8 is a detail sectional plan showing certain parts for use with awning.

:Referring to the drawings, an automatic guard in ofwaterproof fabric or other suitable flexible material or combination of materials is mounted ona roller l I outside and above, a Window 12, and

mechanism is provided whereby the guard is lowered when it rains and is automatically rolled up after the rain stops. The roller II and the operating mechanism are mounted in a casing l3 supported above, or at the top of the window opening M (Fig. 6) and this casing is provided with a top cover l5 having a depression I6 with an opening 11 at its lowest point for the passage of rain water, and a strainer 18 is provided to exclude leaves and other solid matter from the opening I1. Arranged below the opening I1 is a cup l9 forming part of a tube 20 pivoted at 2| and containing a ball weight 22 by which the cup I9 is normally held in its raised position as shown at Fig. 1. When rain water from the opening l1 accumulates in the cup 19, the tube member 20 turns clockwise until the ball 22 is caused to roll by gravity towards the right and the ball then engages and operates a lever arm 23. the end of which extends upwardly through a slot 24 in the bottom of the tube 20. The lever 23 is pivotally mounted on trunnions 64 (see Fig. 5) and has a pointed projection 25 engaging a central depression in a disc 26 having in its opposite side an annular depression for the reception of the compression spring 21 whose opposite end engages a similar disc 28 which latter is engaged by an adjustable screw 29 by means of which the compression of the spring 21 may be regulated. The lever 23 and spring 21 are normally in a straight line but when the lever 23 is thrown downwardly by the momentum of the ball 22 the spring 21 is free to expand upwardly and an extension arm 30 forming part of the lever 23 then moves upwardly (Fig. 4) and raises an arm 31 which is pivoted at 44 and has thereon a projecting pawl 32 which releases an inclined projection 33 on the periphery of a pulley 35 attached to the shaft 42 of the roller ll so that the pulley and roller rotate in unison, and as the pulley and roller are thus released, a weighted strip 34 on the lower edge of the flexible guard It! then rotates the roller 1 I and thus pulls down the guard.

As the guard I0 is thus lowered by the weight 34 the rain water passing through the hole I1 to the cup 19 flows from such cup to a lower cup 45 mounted on a lever arm 46 pivoted at 41 and having a counterweight 48 and as the cup 45 re,- ceives water from the cup H! the arm 46 turns clockwise with the lowering of the cup 45 and excess water from cup 45 flows into a reserve tank 49 of substantial capacity. The cup 45 is provided with a small aperture 50 through which the rain water may slowly seep, so that the weight of the water in the cup 45 holds thesaid cup in its lowered position until the rain stops falling and until the water in the cup has sufficient time to seep slowly through the said aperture 50. In the case of uneven rain, therefore, the cup 45 will not swing up and down. As long as the rain continues to fall, the cup & remains in its lowered position as shoWn in full lines at Fig. 3 and, when the water in the reserve tank 49 reaches its highest level, excess water escapes by a suitable overflow-not shown-and when the rain stops falling and the cup d5 has had sufficient time to discharge its contents the lever 45 is swung upwardly by the counterweight 48 and the arm 46 thus releases a pin 51 on a pivoted member 52 so that the latter is free to turn counter-clockwise by gravity and thus move from the position shown in full lines to that shown in dotted lines at Fig. 3, thereby permitting a flexible hose 53 to swing downwardly by gravity and to allow water to pass from the reserve tank 69 to a channel 54 from which the Water passes to a vessel 38 as hereinafter described.

The member 52 is mounted on a pivot pin 59 and on one end thereof the projecting pin 5! is provided for engagement by the arm 56 and on the opposite end of the member 52 rings or loops 62 are provided for the reception of a pipe 63 capable of free sliding movement therein. The pipe 63 is connected with the lower part of the reserve tank ti? by the said flexible hose 53 so that rain water may flow from the said tank to the hose 53 and the pipe 63 when the latter is in its lowered position as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 3.

T raise the guard It, the said pulley 35 has wound thereon a cable 56 which is shown extend ing over a guide pulley d3 (Fig. 4) and extends downwardly and is accommodated in a vertical tube 3! and carries on its free end the opentopped Vessel 38 above referred to. The cable 36 is wound on the pulley 35 in the opposite direction to the winding of the guard on its roller ll so that, when rain water is supplied to the vessel 38, and the weight thereof overbalances the weight 3 5 on the guard ill, the vessel 33 descends and causes the weight 34 to ascend thereby rolling up the guard. The vessel 33 is provided with a spring-loaded valve 39, the stem M! of which projects downwardly and is engaged by a stationary member M when the vessel 38 reaches its lowest position so that the valve 39 is then opened and the rain water is discharged from the vessel 38 and, while the guard is held in the raised position by the action of the pawl 32 as above described, the vessel 38 remains in its lowered position even after the discharge of the rain water therefrom.

The weight 34 on the guard. it? is provided with a projecting bracket 55 and when the guard is raised this bracket en ages and raises a reset lever 5% which is pivoted at El and has a projecting member 58 for turning the member 52 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 59, has a projecting part 59 for raising the arm 23 until the spring 21 is brought to its compressed and balanced position, and has a top part 6! for raising the tube 20 until the ball weight 22 rolls to the left hand end of the tube 28 and thereby holds the cup IS in a raised position.

The projecting cam 33 on the pulley 35 is so located that when the guard reaches the uppermost position the cam is spaced about one inch from the pawl 32 and after the water is allowed to escape from the vessel 38 by the action of the valve 39 the weight 3 3 causes the guard to move slightly downwards until the cam 33 is engaged by the pawl 32 and the reset bracket 56 thus moves downward by gravity from its top position and frees the tube 20 and the arm 23 in readiness for the next operation, but does not allow the member 52 to turn far enough to bring the outlet end of the pipe 63 below the level of the water in the reserve tank 49. When the automatic lowering of the guard causes the projection 58 to entirely release the member 52, however, the arm 46 engages the projection 5| thereby preventing flow of water from the reserve tank 19 to the vessel 38 until the next time the guard is to be raised.

The reserve tank 49 preferably has sufficient capacity for several operations of the guard and by this arrangement the mechanism may operate effectively several times even though the rainfall is very light each time.

A cord 65 may be attached to the vessel 38 and may pass therefrom to the weight 34, being passed through a suitable aperture 66 in the tube enclosing the container and cable 36, and this cord 65 may thus serve as a suitable means for actuating the screen by hand if and when desired.

Referring particularly to Figs. '7 and 8, the side edges of the guard 10 may be accommodated, when the guard is in its lowered position, in side channels each comprising a rear fixed strip 13 and a hinged front strip 61, which latter may be turned outwardly through degrees (as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 8) to permit the guard I0 to be swung outwardly into the position shown in Fig. '7 and shown in dotted lines at Fig. 8 so as to serve as an awning, and, to retain the guard in this position, an arm 68 is secured to the strip 61 and may have a hook 69 on its outer end for engagement with an eye 19 secured at the lower edge of the guard Ill. The guard I0 is moved outward into position for use as an awning and the hook 59 is engaged with the eye 10 by hand, and when it is desired to return the awning to its vertical position for use as a guard, the hook is disengaged from the eye .10 and the strip 61 is returned to the position shown in full lines at Fig. 8 where the strips 67 serve as guide for the side edges of the guard I0 during the upward and downward movement thereof.

As shown at Fig. 8, the channels for the side edges of the guard may also comprise inner strips ll parallel to and spaced from the strips 13 to provide channels to serve as guides for the marginal edges of wire mesh or mosquito netting I2.

Although the drawings and the above specification disclose the best mode in which I havecontemplated embodying my invention, I desire to be in no way limited to the details of such disclosure, for in the further practical application of my invention many changes in constructional details may be made as circumstances require or experience suggests, without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An automatically operated window guard comprising means for lowering the guard, means for retaining the guard in its raised position against the action of such lowering means, water collecting means for releasing said retaining means when it rains, a rain storage tank, and guard-raising means consisting of a rain water receiving vessel and means whereby rain water is directed to said vessel from the storage tank when the rain stops.

2. Mechanism of the character described for the actuation of a guard to protect a window opening from rain, comprising normall restrained gravity means for lowering the guard, means actuated by the weight of rain water for releasing the lowering means, a reserve tank for the collection of rain water for raising the guard, and means whereby the weight of rain water from said tank raises the guard against the action of said gravity lowering means.

3. Mechanism of the character described for the actuation of a guard to protect a window opening from rain, comprising means for lowering the guard by gravity, means actuated by the weight of rain water for releasing the actuating means, a reserve tank for the collection of rain water, means whereby the weight of rain water raises the guard against the action of said lowering means, and means whereby, after raising the guard, the actuating rain water is discharged in preparation for a subsequent lowering of the guard.

4. Mechanism of the character described for the actuation of a flexible guard to protect a window opening from rain, comprising a' roller for the actuation of the guard, a permanent weight for lowering the guard, spring means released by the weight of rain water for releasing the gravity actuating means, a reserve tank for the collection of rain water, means whereby the weight of rain water supplied from said tank actuates the roller to raise the guard against the action of said weight, and valve means whereby, after raising the guard, the actuating rain water is discharged in preparation for a subsequent lowering of the guard.

5. Roller mechanism for the actuation of an automatic flexible guard for the protection of a window opening from rain water, having actuating means comprising a spring for releasing the guard, a weight for lowering the guard when so released, a reserve tank for the reception of rain water, means for rotating the roller to raise the guard, a rain water vessel attached to said means, means for conveying rain water from the reserve tank to said vessel, means whereby water passes from the reserve tank to the said vessel only when the rain stops, and means on the guard for stopping the passage of Water from the reserve tank to the said vessel in readiness for a subsequent operation.

6. Roller mechanism for the actuation of an automatic flexible guard for the protection of a window opening from rain water, having operating means comprising a movable cup for the reception of rain Water, spring means actuated by the movement of said cup to release the guard, a weight for lowering the guard when so released, a lower cup for the reception of water,

a reserve tank for the reception of water from the lower cup, means for rotating the roller to raise the guard, 21. rain water vessel attached to said means, means for conveying rain water from the reserve tank to said vessel, means whereby the weight of rain water in the lower cup prevents the passage of water from the reserve tank to the said vessel, and means on the guard for stopping the passage of water from the reserve tank to the said vessel and for resetting the first cup in readiness for a subsequent operation.

7. Roller mechanism for the actuation of an automatic flexible guard for the protection of a window opening from rain water having operating means comprising a movable cup for the reception of rain water, means whereby the actuation of said cup by the rain water releases the guard, a weight for lowering the guard when so released, a lower cup for the reception of water, a reserve tank for the reception of water from the lower cup, means for rotating the roller to raise the guard, a rain water vessel attached to said means, means for conveying rain water from the reserve tank to said vessel, means whereby the weight of rain water in the lower cup prevents the passage of water from the reserve tank to the container, and means on the guard for stopping the passage of water from the reserve tank to the said vessel and for resetting the first cup in readiness for a subsequent operation.

8. Guard operating mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a pivoted member carrying the first cup to receive rain Water and a device actuated by the movement of said member for r releasing the guard to permit it to descend by gravity.

9. Guard operating mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a pivoted tube carrying the first cup to receive rain water and a ball weight enclosed in said tube for releasing the guard to permit it to descend.

10. Guard operating mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a cover with an opening therein, a pivoted tube carrying the first cup in position to receive the rain water from said opening, and a gravity-actuated rolling member enclosed in said tube for releasing the roller of the guard to permit the guard to descend by gravity.

11. Guard operating mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a pulley actuated with the guard, pawl and cam mechanism for arresting the motion of the pulley with the guard in its raised position, spring means for releasing the pawl from the cam, and means whereby actuation of the first cup facilitates operation of the said spring means.

12. Guard operating mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a pulley actuated with the guard, pawl and cam mechanism for arresting the motion of the pulley with the guard in its raised position, a spring for releasing the pawl from the cam, a lever normally holding said spring under restraint, and a rolling member actuated by the first cup to engage and swing said lever to thereby release said spring for the actuation of said pawl for the said release of the pawl from the cam.

13. Guard operating mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a pulley actuated with the guard, pawl and cam mechanism for arresting the motion of the pulley with the guard in its raised position, spring means for releasing the pawl from the cam, gravity means whereby actuation of the first cup facilitates operation of the said spring means, and means whereby the weight of stored rain water actuates the pulley to raise the guard.

14. Mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a counterweight for the lower cup for moving said cup to its raised position after the discharge of rain water therefrom and an open ing in the lower part of said cup for the slow seepage of water therefrom to permit upward movement of said cup only after a predetermined interval.

15. Mechanism, according to claim 7, comprising a counterweight for the lower cup for moving said cup to its raised position after the discharge of rain Water therefrom, and an opening in the lower part of said cup for the slow seepage of water therefrom to permit upward movement of said cup only after a predetermined interval, and means whereby upward movement of said-161 p *facilitates=\.-passage of watersgfrom the reserv tank tov raise the; guar 1-16.;.-Mechanism,according to claim 7, comprising-means for raising the lower cup to itswraiseci position atter the complete discharge of rain Mater, therefrom and an opening {in the lower .part of gsaidcup for theslow seepage of water therefrom to permit upward -movement of said cupcnly after; a predetermined interval.

17. Mechanism for the operation of an, automatic-guard, according to claim 7, iinwhich the means for conveying-water from the reserve, tank :toathe guard-raising vessel comprises tar .pivoted member, :a pipe mounted on saidsmember, a flexible tubular connection between said pipe and the reserve tank, and means whereby theoutlet iend ofpthewpipeisuheld abovethe water level .i n=.the, :reserve tank, by {the guard.

llBMMechanism. for the operation of. an auto- ,matiqguard, according to claim; '7, in which ,the means for conveying Water from the reserve tank to the,guard-raisingvessel comprises a -pivoted member, aupi-pemovably mounted on said member, aflexible hose between said pipe and the reserve tank, .means whereby the outlet end of the pipe is raised above the Water level in the reserve tank by. the raising of the guard, and means onsaid memberengaged by the lower cup for holding said outlet end in its raised position until all rain water has escaped from said cup.

3 19. Mechanism for the operation of an automatic guard, according to claim 7, in which the means, -for,conv eying-waiter from the reserve tank to the; guard-raising I vessel comprises a; pivoted :memben-a pipe slidably mounted on .said mem- -ber,- axflexible hose connection between said pipe and the lower part of the; reserve .Ltank,

meansflfl;v the guard' 'whereby theoutletend of the pipe: is'raised above the water, level in :the ,reservatank 'bythe raising of the guard,. and

vmeans onsaid pivoted member for. holding; said out-let end 'inpits raised position, until ,all rain r-waterh-has escaped from the lower cup.

'20. Mechanism, for the operation pf i an automatic window: guard of the type described comprisingza water vesselifor overbalancing theguard .ior retaining (the guard in the raised position during vthe ,discharge of water from the. said vessel.

OTTO voGEL.

= REFERENCES CITED The: following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number .Name Date 9 1,472,703 Walser Oct-30, 1923 1,974,003 Arnold Sept. 18,1934 2,103,923 Vogel Dec. -2,8,- 1937 

